About a decade ago Panic! at the Disco exploded onto the music scene courtesy of being a part of the glam rock revival. Now they have somewhat come back to earth with members coming and going and the last man standing being frontman Brendon Urie. Despite your misgivings with this album you realize whether it is just him or he has some musicians surrounding him, Panic! at the Disco really is a one man show. Brendon Urie is a great frontman and knows how to keep the attention on him. A showman for certain. You can even feel that on recorded material. He is there and the band (?) has released its fifth album. Panic! at the Disco still equals music that is flashy though it is more Queen and Sinatra this time out. On certain songs on the album, especially “Impossible Year”, it is like Urie has taken on the persona of a modern day Sinatra. Still cool and seemingly always at a party. Plush and licentious are words that come to mind when asked to describe Death of a Bachelor. There is still plenty of excess to be found. I don’t think I am talking out of my butt here as on the track “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” there is a sample of the B-52s. After you finish listening to the entire album and come to the conclusion that it is filled with one ear worm of a track after another you might, as I have, realize that Panic! at the Disco is just fine being one man.
Panic! at the Disco – Death of a Bachelor
